Monday, 2 September 2013

There is any better feeling at this stage of the season than beating those lot. After all the comments made by their fans and the money spent by their manager that it was their time, we put them back in their box. If there is one team which Arsene Wenger knows how to win against at home it's our neighbours. He got his tactics spot on.

It seemed to me that we set up as the away team at our own ground, preferring to counter attack at pace and let them have a lot of the ball. Not that they did anything with it. We seemed to have the better of the early chances. Two Santi Cazorla free kick going very close.

A flowing move set us on our way to victory with Ramsey finding Rosicky who played Walcott into space in the box. his cross found an on rushing Olivier Giroud who finished with aplomb. It was no more than we deserved for our early pressure.

And that was the way it stayed. I thought Giroud was fantastic. That's four goals in five games for the Frenchman and he's really switched it up a gear this season. He's hit the ground running and that's what we've needed. There was one glorious move in the second half which should have led to a goal when his sheer determination and strength got him passed players and into the box. It was a shame the finish from Walcott wasn't better nor was the rebound effort from Monreal.

Ramsey had another excellent game. He's come on leaps and bound since the turn of the year and did a great job yesterday marshaling our midfield. It's scary to think he's just 22 years-old and has had a huge impact on the team not just yesterday but has been a key player since the start of the season. Long may it continue.

And special mention must go to captain Per Mertesacker who I thought has taken to the captaincy like a duck to water. I thought he was outstanding at Fulham and very good yesterday. With the different make ups of our defence since the start of the season over the last five games, he's been our one constant. I thought that Koscienly might have pipped him yesterday in terms of performance, but without Per being there and reading the game so well, those last 20 minutes might have been even more unbearable.

Arsene Wenger now has the good will of all Gooners and today is his chance to build on that by making the signings needed to strengthen our squad. He's promised he'll be active till the last and we've not seen the actions to back up his words.

All the talk is of Mesut Ozil. He would be a fantastic addition to the squad but he's not the only player we need. It seems the manager will also bring in a goal keeper Emiliano Viviano on loan. I would hope for a striker. That is one position we need to fill, unless a recall for Nicklas Bendtner is on the cards.

I really hope he makes a few surprise signings which do actually excite us all. We certainly need to bolster our squad before 11pm tonight if we are to compete this season. Have your fingers crossed!